Amazon.com essential video: Aside from being a warmly enjoyable movie, and the best screen adaptation of any John Irving novel, The World According to Garp features several young actors who went on to be among the best in the business. Oscar nominee John Lithgow is the sweetest transsexual ex-pro football player you'd ever hope to meet; Oscar nominee Glenn Close is a sensible, utterly sexless nurse and mother; Amanda Plummer is a mute crime victim; Mary Beth Hurt is a schoolgirl turned wife and mother, the love of T.S. Garp's life and the personification of the idea of Home. And Robin Williams, in his first starring role, has never been better cast--in the role of a human being, that is. This most unusual life story--written by Steve Tesich (Breaking Away) and directed by George Roy Hill (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid)--perfectly captures the tragi-comic, absurdist/humanist worldview of Irving's novel. The opening credits, with a wide-eyed baby floating about the screen to the tune of the Beatles' "When I'm Sixty-Four," sums up the movie's scope and tone. After watching The World According to Garp, you may find yourself marveling anew at the world around you, a strange and wonderful place indeed. --Jim Emerson
The World According to Garp Although it is a good book and the actors do a wonderful job of portraying the characters, one MUST read the book. The film does not do the book justice at all!!
GARP: Still fun,but very scattered.VHS better than DVD After all these years,watching GARP again I am even more convinced that as charmingly odd and well acted this film is,it still is very scattered and uneven it's story.As always with John Irving books that get adapted to screen, the problem is how to catch the essence and stay true to the work.The screenplay by Steve Tesich (BREAKING AWAY) has it's moments that are genuinely fun,but still at 136 minutes there are a lot of themes and characters to get through,and Tesich does this only mediocre at best.This film is full of interesting characters and situations, as well as platitudes on life,but it still has that "cram-it-all-in feeling" while sacrificing character development and plot line themes.Still this film showcases the likes of Glenn Close,John Lithgow,Mary Beth Hurt and Robin Williams doing fine work.Williams seems to me still oddly miscast for the part,even though he seems comfortable in the role.
John Irving writes about unconventional things.GARP is still unconventional,but the performances and situations keep this film floating at 3-3 1/2 stars.The VHS tape is superior to the DVD in both matting and sound.Stick with the tape!
Read the book instead "The World According to Garp" is on my top 5 list of favorite books of all time. It's one of those rare books that makes you laugh out loud, but still really feel the emotion of the characters, and the story really sticks with you. (I made a joke about an Ellen Jamesian just the other day, lol ~ yes, it was a dumb joke that no one else got, but, that's how it goes sometimes :) I was introduced to the book in college, well after the book and the movie were released, but I had never heard of either one. I read the book in just a couple of days ~ I couldn't put it down, and I chatted it up with everyone who would listen. I've re-read it several times since then, and i still think it's terrific. Naturally, when i found out there was already a movie . . . I was thrilled! I ordered it right away . . . but i wish i'd never wasted my money. On it's own, the movie might be alirght. But when you're invested in the book, when you know the characters, Robin Williams just isn't Garp. I love Robin Williams, he's a great comedian, that's not a question. I just think that the casting for this part was way off base. and if you can't believe the main character, the rest of it's crap. If you've never read the book, I highly recommend it!!
In the top 10 This movie is one of my top 10 favorites. If you have ever read any of John Irving's books then you will love this film. Although it doesn't compare to the book it is a great film full of lust, comedy, tragedy, well-developed characters, and great acting. It portrays sex in a very real light.
Great acting I enjoyed this movie, because the plot is slightly off kilter and the cast is great. The acting in this movie was superb, and although it varied from the book, it was still good in itself. I recommend it for people who like something different.
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